Wire Style: 50 Unique Jewelry Designs

by Denise Peck

Featuring original ideas from top jewelry designers, this collection covers a range of contemporary and stylish projects, such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and pendants. Beginning with a primer on basic tools and techniques and covering fundamental wire-working skills in detail, including wire-wrapping, weaving, coiling, chain-making, hammering, texturing, and oxidizing, this guide helps jewelry makers of all skills levels develop a range of talents. Each project includes a comprehensive materials list and step-by-step instructions that guide crafters through a variety of projects, including wrapping found objects with wire, making chain mail, creating spirals, straightening wire, making jump rings and ear wires, and creating clasps. Constructed with many different materials--from precious metals to plated and colored wire--these striking creations are a mix of funky and fabulous wire designs combined with stones, beads, and cords to create an interesting and eclectic jewelry collection.

Genres: Jewellery, Crafts, Jewellery Making

120 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Dl Hood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit it was the stunning cover that caused me to buy this book. With such splendid styling, and the credentials of its author, Denise Peck, whose book Step by Step Wire Jewelry I found very informative and useful, I was sure it would be chock full of exciting jewelry projects that I couldn't wait to learn how to make. However, I found it lacking in content. Yes, there are 50 great jewelry designs by various artisans, but the lack of photos to accompany the instructions is very disappointing. There are step by step illustrations in the front of the book to demonstrate the basic skills needed to complete the projects you will see in the book, but only written instructions accompany a single photo of each finished project. Personally, I would much rather have fewer designs, than many designs with no close-up photos to demonstrate the actual construction of those designs. I also found it rather surprising that with the single exeption of a graceful necklace design by artist Ronna Sarvas Weltman, the only pieces of jewelry that really caught my interest were all made by Tamara L. Honaman who, wouldn't you know it, designed the piece on the cover. If you are not someone who prefers learning through visual demonstration, and actually enjoys reading "how-to" manuals, you will do fine with this book. The instructions, although brief, are clearly written, making the designs do-able.

[Adrienne Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book is packed full of nice wire jewelry designs I was expecting...more. I am a fan of author and designer Denise Peck and I'd read wonderful reviews of the book. As an experienced jewelry maker and wire artist this is a book I could readily use. However if you are looking for a book with step-by-step "tutorials" with photos to guide you, you will be sorely disappointed. The basic techniques and tools are each listed at the beginning of the book but I wouldn't appreciate having to go back and forth to make sure I'm doing it "right" especially when my hands are full and I'm trying to hold onto a piece of wire with a mind of its own.

Another thing that bothered me somewhat is the list of tools. I've taught many wire jewelry classes and most beginners simply don't have the array of tools listed in this book. Wire working tools are (in most cases) acquired gradually and many of the tools are quite expensive. Even I, after years of creating wire jewelry, don't have some of these tools.

All in all, the designs are fun and very nice. Kudos to those designers who have shared their talents and designs! I just felt that I was reading a book meant for someone a bit more advanced and well supplied than the beginning wire artist.

[Punk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crafts. As with Peck's other books, this has a brief introduction to tools, instruction on basic techniques, and a layout that makes it easy to tell at a glance what materials and skills each project requires. The emphasis is on wire this time with fifty different pieces -- necklaces, earrings, and bracelets -- made from jump rings, coils, spirals, hammered wire, and wrapped beads. Styles range from minimalist to super involved, and most projects allow you room to modify things to your taste. There's one big photo of each finished item, but in this case I think the book suffers from not having any pictures of the work in progress. The step-by-step description does its best, but some people are visual learners and that large block of text can't take the place of a photograph or diagram, especially when this book is doing so many different things, like wire wrapping and chain.

Four stars for the designs, three for the directions. It's a good introduction to all the things you can do with wire but needs more pictures to be effective, especially when dealing with chain.

[Tammy Powley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginners will find plenty here. The handful of techniques include excellent photographs, and there are a good number of beginning projects that still have a lot of style. For my complete review, copy and past this link into your browser: http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/met...

[MarcellineCazz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has very good basics on designing wire jewelry and had a few projects that I'd use as a jumping off point, but no projects I simply HAVE to make. While they show (with photos) the basic techniques, they do not have photos of the projects in progress; they just refer you to the page where the technique is shown. If you are a very beginner wireworker this book may work for you.

[Karen E. Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay, nothing to get excited about. The tools and techniques needed before the projects are great. Photos are step by step and a good read for beginners but wished the whole book will be the same. You get a lot of projects but nothing caught my eye except a few. And every project only has written directions and no step by step photos to go along.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wire jewelry making, examples from different artists.

Some with original style and impressive color gamma, others are primitive as most publications on wire jewelry show, nothing new or interesting.

More about diversity of solutions and styles than about techniques.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

No new/innovative techniques and nothing that grabbed me and inspired me to pick up my tools. It was a library loan.
I think that crafting books often suffer in these days of pinterest and craftsy and etsy tutorials.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sparkle-riffic wire projects

A student asked me to show her some wrapping techniques and mentioned this book. So I found it for my Kindle and am impressed by the variety of different skill level designs. Lovely patterns for beginners to pros.

[Charlie Moses · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful wire-work jewelry designs. Excellent instructions. What more could a jewelry-maker want?

[Ligaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very nice photography and good introduction of materials, tools, and techniques. Most projects are in the beginner range. Good for inspiration.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of "outside the box" projects in this box but all are doable. I bought Wire Style 2 as well.